Dining Out: Medley of cuisines blend wonderfully at One World

PEORIA — One World Cafe is a medley of dishes from around the world. On a recent trip, we dined on food from at least three different cultures and could've chose even more if we'd had room.

The cafe is a Main Street staple, bustling at all hours. We dined on a recent Monday night and found it to be warm, cozy and full of people creating a friendly background din. There are hand-painted murals, comfortable tables, windows swathed in velvety, cranberry colored drapes.

The restaurant offers an extensive list of coffee drinks and cocktails. My guest ordered a Rogue single malt ale on draft ($6), and I had a fizzy watermelon Italian soda ($3).

One World recently added a few new items to the menu such as the Elvis waffle, topped with banana, peanut butter cream, two bacon strips and whipped cream. They also serve biscuits and gravy, various skillets, breakfast sandwiches and breakfast pizzas all day long.

Customers also can order burgers, pizza, wraps and salads. Oh, and this place is a haven for vegetarians, with dishes such as Hungarian stuffed peppers and portabella brioche.

We started out with the samosas ($5), small Indian pastries with a savory filling. The samosas you find at Indian restaurants are flaky and light; these ones were more dense and doughy, but the potato and veggie filling was nicely spiced and delicious. They were served with a vinaigrette dip, but we liked them better plain.

My guest tried the tabouli salad ($6). While it was perky and colorful, it tasted rather bland. For dinner he ordered the Cubano pizza ($15 and new to the menu). Our server said she liked the thin-crust version, so that's what he ordered. It wasn't cracker-like, but had just enough doughiness to carry the toppings, which include deliciously tender and smoky shredded pork and ham. A cup of pickles accompany the pizza, and so does a bottle of mustard. On each piece we placed a pickle and a squiggle of mustard. The result is exceptional.

I ordered the fish tacos ($11). A large piece of fried fish was served nice and hot with tortillas, a pile of shredded cabbage, a cup of salsa, tortilla chips and a rice and bean mixture.

Dessert brings myriad options. We went with two that are made in-house; the seasonal sweet potato pecan pie ($4.99), a comforting deep-dish slice topped with pecans, little mounds of whipped cream and a drizzle of praline topping; and the flourless chocolate torte ($4). Our server heartily approved of the latter choice, and it was beautifully presented, with the decadent wedge resting on a white plate criss-crossed with chocolate and raspberry sauces.

Our server was fantastic, giving us her opinion on menu items and cashing us out quickly at the end. Her efficiency let us sit back and focus on the food, which is the way it should be.